1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a stand comprising at least three legs, the upper part of which is fastened to the stand head in a hinged or tiltable manner and the lower part of which is telescopically displaceable in the upper part, locking means being provided for mutually locking the legs in the transport position of the stand.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional tripod stand, for example a stand of the GST 120-9 series of the Applicant, has locking means mounted on the legs for locking the latter to one another for transport and for securing them to prevent them from falling apart. The locking means comprise, on each leg, a hook mounted on the boot and a strap which is mounted on a clamp fitting through which the lower, displaceable part can be clamped in the upper stationary part of the leg. For locking, the clamp fittings are released and the hooks of each leg are inserted in succession over the strap of the adjacent leg. Thereafter, the legs are retracted and the clamp fittings are tightened, with the result that hook and strap engage one another and prevent the legs from falling apart. The locking means are identical on all three legs.
That all three clamp fittings have to be sufficiently firmly clamped is disadvantageous. The clamping screws of the clamp fittings are tightened or released when the legs are hooked one into the other. Moreover, owing to vibrations during transport, these screws might become loosened and might even become undone. Owing to the limited space in the transport position, the clamping screws may not exceed a maximum size, with the result that the tightening force to be applied is limited. The operation of the clamping screws is difficult particularly during surveying work on the ground in cold weather. In addition, an operator has to bend to reach the respective clamping screws of the clamp fittings.
If one of the clamp fittings disengages, there is the danger that a leg will be released; if a further clamp fitting becomes disengaged, all three legs would unfold.